Spring unit and method of making the same



May 15, 1934. BU CH 1,959,048

SPRING UNIT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 18, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet 1 2 a law.

r I V- 2 3 Cjgg ,1 0' INVENTOR fl /garai MWM-wWmMp ATTORNEYS May 15,1934. F. BURCH SPRING UNIT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Aug. 18,1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 if v INVENTOR l re/46a r0 4 BY w W ATTORNEYSPatented May 15, 1934 PATENT OFFHCE SPRING UNIT AN METHOD OF MAKIN 'rnr:SAME 9 Claims.

This invention relates to a spring unit and has particular reference toa method for fixing the individual springs of the unit against movementwithin the unit and to the structure'pro- I 5 duced by this method.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide aconstruction of the above mentioned character in which the individualsprings forming a part of the unit will be firmly held in predeterminedpositions within the unit.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved method ofassembling a spring unit, which method may be economically carried outon a commercial scale.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparentas the following description proceeds, particularly when reference ishad to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spring unit constructed inaccordance with the teachings of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the unit shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the elements forming apart of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view showing one step in the methodof forming the spring unit;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view showing a further step in themethod of forming the unit;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line '7---'? ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 8-8 ofFigure 2;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 9--9 ofFigure 2; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l0-10 ofFigure 2.

Referring then particularly to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout all views, there isshown in Figure 1 a plurality of coil springs arranged in longitudinalrows 16 and transverse rows 17 to form a spring unit designatedgenerally by the reference character 18. It is to be understood that anynumber of rows of springs may be assembled in a single unit, dependentupon the size of the unit desired, and it is to be further understoodthat the terms longitudinal" and transverse are used in their relativesense only and are not indicative of the longer and shorter dimensionsof the spring unit.

In assembling the spring unit the coil springs are first arranged inrows as above described and are temporarily held in position in theserows by any suitable form (not shown). Side border members 20 are thenfixed to the tops and bottoms of the coil springs in the outerlongitudinal rows by means of clips 21 which, as illustrated in Figure10 of the drawings, may conveniently be strip metal members which areclamped aroundthe border members and the end convolutions of the coilsprings. The border members 20 may be formed of lengths of oil-temperedwire 22 covered by a suitable fiber covering 23 to form what is known asartificial reeds. These border members will thus maintain theirflexibility and will not be permanently deformed by bending.

With the coil spring members in position within the spring unit and theside border members 20 fixed to the sides of the outermost longitudinalrows of coil springs, the next step in the method is to form the tiemembers 26. These tie members are preferably formed of lengths of wirecoiled at a plurality of spaced points intermediate their ends to formpairs of adjacent convolutions or coils 2'7, there being one pair ofconvolutions formed in each tie member for each coil spring in eachtransverse row. The tie members are positioned at the top and bottom ofthe spring unit and the ends of these tie members are then coiled aboutthe side border members 20, as indicated. by the reference character 28,to fix the tie members adjacent the sides of the transverse rows of coilsprings. Thus each tie member is fixed to extend transversely of thespring unit and is provided with a pair of convolutions which liesadjacent the top or bottom of each coil spring in each transverse row.

With the tie members in position as above described, these members arepressed upwardly or downwardly dependent upon whether they are at thebottom or top of the spring unit to engage the end convolutions of thecoil springs between the convolutions 27 in the manner clearlyillustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. The tie members are thenpermitted to return to their original positions, with the result thatthe end convolutions of the \coil springs will be embraced by theconvolutions 27 of the tie members, these latter convolutions projectingbeyond the convolutions of the coil spring in the manner clearlyillustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings.

With the coils of the tie members engaged with the convolutions of thecoil springs, additional tie or anchor members 30, which are preferablyin the form of artificial reeds similar to the side border members 20,are threaded longitudinally of the spring unit and through the coiledportions 27 of the tie members 26. The ends of these tie members 30 arepreferably fastened by clips 31 to end border members 32, the clips 31serving also to fasten the end border members to the end convolutions ofthe springs in the outermost transverse rows, as clearly illustrated inFigures 1 and 9 of the drawings.

With the anchor members threaded through the coiled portions of the tiemembers, it will be noted that the end convolutions of the coil springswill be positioned between the anchor members and the tie members in themanner clearly illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings. The coils 2'7 ofthe tie members are then spread apart by any suitable tool (not shown)to substantially the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, withthe result that these coils will draw the end convolutions of the coilsprings into firm engagement with the anchor members and will alsobitingly engage the anchor members. Thus with the coils 2'7 spread apartthe end convolutions of the coil springs 15 will be fixedly connected tothe anchor members 30 and the tie members 26.

From the above it will be apparent that the invention provides a springunit in which coil springs are fixedly held in position within thespring unit. The invention provides tie members having coiled portionsarranged to embrace the end convolutions of the coil springs andprovides anchor members which extend through the coiled portions of thetie members and which cooperate with these coiled portions, when thelatter are spread apart, to clamp the end convolutions of the coilsprings in position. It will be noted that the method consists of aplurality of simple steps.

which may be economically carried out on a commercial scale, and it willbe found that the spring unit produced by the method will be sturdilyconstructed and capable of withstanding any normal use to which it maybe subjected.

While the invention has been described with considerable detail, it isto be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustrationonly and that the right is reserved to make such changes in the details.of construction and the steps of the method as will fall within thepurview of the attached claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a spring unit, a coil spring, a tie member for said coil springhaving convolutions intermediate its ends providing adjacent spiralcoils embracing a convolution of said coil spring; and a second t-iemember angularly arranged relativeto said first mentioned tie member andthreaded through the convolutions thereof, the second tie membercooperating with the coils of said first mentioned tie member to embracethe convolutions of said coil spring and the convolutions of said firstmentioned tie member being spread to clampingly engage said secondmentioned tie member.

2. In a spring unit, a row of coil springs, a tie member adjacent oneside of said row of coil springs, said tie member having coiled portionsat spaced points throughout its length embrac ing convolutions of saidcoil springs, and anchor members extending transversely of said row ofcoil springs and through the coils of said tie member, the coils of saidtie member being spread to engage the said anchor members whereby thetie member and anchor members cooperate to clamp the embracedconvolutions of said coil springs.

3. In a spring unit, a row of coil springs, a tie member at each side ofsaid row of coil springs, each of said tie members being provided with apair of convolutions adjacent each coil spring, each pair ofconvolutions of each tie member embracing a portion of the endconvolution of each adjacent coil spring, and additional tie membersangularly arranged relative to said first men tioned tie members andengaging the convolutions thereof, the convolutions of said firstmentioned tie members being spread to engage said additional tie membersand said additional tie members cooperating with the first mentioned tiemembers to clamp the embraced portions of said coil springs.

4. Those steps in the method of assembling a spring unit which consistin forming a pair of adjacent coils in a tie member, clampingly engagingsaid pair of coils with a convolution of a coil spring, inserting a.second tie member through the coils of said first mentioned tie memberand eflfecting relative displacement between the coils of said firstmentioned tie member and the second mentioned tie member whereby saidtie members cooperate with each other to clamp the engaged convolutionof the coil spring.

5. Those steps in'the method of fixing a coil spring in position in aspring unit which consist in forming a pair of adjacent coils in a tiemember intermediate the ends thereof, fixing said tie member adjacentits ends to said spring unit with the coils thereof adjacent the saidcoil spring, positioning the end convolution of the coil spring betweenthe coils of said tie member, threading a second tie member through thecoils of said first mentioned tie member in such a manner that the twotie members embrace a portion. of the end convolution of the coilspring, and spreading the coils of said first mentioned tie member tocause the same to-grip the said second mentioned tie member and to causesaid tie members to clamp the embraced portion of the convolution of thecoil spring.

6. The method of forming a spring unit which consists in positioning aplurality of coil springs in longitudinal and transverse rows, fixingside border members to the end convolutions of the outermostlongitudinal rows of said coil springs, forming tie members with pairsof coils at spaced points intermediate their ends, fixing the ends ofsaid tie members to the said border members with each pair of coils ineach tie member adjacent the side of one of said coil springs in eachtransverse row, engaging each pair of coils in each tie member with theend convolution of the coil spring to which it is adjacent, threadingadditional tie members through the coiled portions of the firstmentioned tie members, and spreading the coils of the first mentionedtie members to cause the same to clampingly engage the second mentionedtie members and to draw the end convolutions'of the coil springs intofirm engagement with the second mentioned tie members.

7. In a spring unit, a coil spring, a tie member for said coil springhaving convolutions intermediate its ends providing connected adjacentcoils embracing a convolution of said coil spring with the connectingportion between said adjacent coils disposed on one side of the embracedportion of the convolutionof the coil spring, and a second tie memberextending through the coils of said first mentioned tie member anddisposed on the side of the portion of the convolution of the coilspring embraced by said coils opposite from the side thereof on whichthe connecting portion between said coils is disposed, the coils of saidfirst mentioned tie member being spread to clampingly engage the secondmentioned tie member and to cooperate therewith to rigidly clamp theengaged portion of the convolution of said coil spring.

8. The method of anchoring a coil. spring in a spring unit whichconsists in forming a tie member with a pair of coils at a pointintermediate its ends, engaging said pair of coils with the endconvolution of the coil spring, threading an additional tie memberthrough the coiled portion of the first mentioned tie member, andspreading the coils of the first mentioned tie member to cause the sameto clampingly engage the second mentioned tie member and to draw the endconvolution of the coil spring engaged thereby into firm engagement withthe second mentioned tie member.

9. The method of anchoring a coil spring within a spring unit whichconsists in forming a tie member with a pair of coils intermediate itsends disposed on an axis angularly arranged relative to the longitudinalaxis of the tie member, engaging the pair of coils in the tie memberwith a portion of one of the convolutions of the coil spring, threadinga second tie member axially through the coils of the first mentioned tiemember, and spreading the coils of the first mentioned tie member tocause the same to clampingly engage the second mentioned tie member andto draw the engaged convolution of the coil spring into firm engagementwith the second mentioned tie member.

FRED BURCH.

